


Rise of the Phoenix

by Azurith



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24382828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azurith/pseuds/Azurith
Summary: After reconnecting with Estinien on the Source the Warrior of Light is left grieving for the friend she lost in Emet-Selch, but is the man truly gone?  When a shard of the shattered Ascian appears,  the Warrior of Light does everything she can to protect him, and Elidibus does everything he can to claim him.
Relationships: Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch & Warrior of Light, Warrior of Light/Estinien Wyrmblood
Kudos: 6





	Rise of the Phoenix

**Author's Note:**

> This story builds off both Message Not Received and Hello (that being the chronological order, not the published order) and I recommend reading them first, the meeting in Ghimlyt Dark they reference is from the story Hello. This will be multi-chapter rather than a one-shot, but I'll try to keep the warrior of light *vague* it can get tricky sometimes to do that and not have the dialogue feel weird but I'll do my best!

The Warrior of Light stood in the RIsing Stones across from her was Estinien. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had last laid eyes on him after the battle at Ghimlyt Dark. In many ways it was, given all she had done on the first. Hearing him recount his time in Garlemond with Gauis made her head spin. Zenos had been such a far off thought for her in Norvant, Varis...all of it. Even as she had been treating with the Ascian that had founded the empire that was causing them so much trouble now. 

Emet-Selch...Hades….had been her friend in another life, her memories had yet to confirm, as shattered as they were, but her soul remembered. Being reminded of Black Rose, and the pain he’d been directly responsible for in her life seemed like a bucket of cold water had been splashed on her face. 

Trying to reconcile the Garlean Emperor and the Ascian she had come to know was  _ hard _ but everything in her life had been complicated, and with the man dead, and her still really grieving over that dead  _ Remember  _ the word etched into her brain, along with yet another she could save, gaping wound in their chest as they passed before her eyes. 

But now with Estinien here, the pair standing in awkward silence, she had something else more immediate to deal with. She could almost curse Krile for pulling Tataru away so the  _ friends  _ could talk. 

Estinien looked almost scared to be around, and after their last parting she couldn’t blame him, she had hardly been kind. Yet he finally broke the silence. “I shall take my leave.” he finally spoke before turning towards the door. She knew if she let him go, she’d likely never see him again, he hadn’t expected her to be here after all. Her mind fought for a moment if that's what she wanted or not before “Wait” slipped from her lips almost on Instinct. 

The dragoon turned to look at her, an unreadable expression on his face. “I…” she found her words failing her, as she took a few steps forward, taking her hand into his, and bringing it to her face. “I don’t….I don’t want to never see you again.” 

A look of surprise fluttered across Estinien’s face before the previous expression returned. “Our last meeting made the contrary very clear.” 

She looked away, holding back a sigh, the Warrior of Light collected her words, choosing them carefully. “I was hurt. I was angry, I was jealous because you got a rest I most desperately was seeking, and you came to me at one of the lowest points I’d ever been. I will not apologize for what I said, but a lot has happened since then. Much that didn’t fit in the reports I gave. The Scions are safe...for now, and my world isn’t falling apart.” she explained before looking back up had him, her other hand coming to wrap around his, afraid almost that he would flee.

Estinien’s face softened, as he reached up and placed his other hand on top of hers. “I fear I am the last person who can judge you for such things. I feared I had done irreparable harm, I glad that was not the case. For what it’s worth I genuinely am sorry for not being there when you needed me. I didn’t think I had a right to stand beside you, it wasn’t until too late I realized that didn’t matter. ” 

The Warrior of Light closed her eyes and let out the breath she’d been holding. “Apology accepted, but there is a lot I would like to talk to you about. There are things that happened on the first, that I would prefer to have an unbiased ear for. The Scions….I don’t know if I can’t talk to them about it. And I’d rather do it in private.” 

“I wasn’t there for you before but I’ll be now. I have leads to follow but they can wait until morning.” Estinien wasn’t going to screw up, not again, not when he got this chance to salvage at least a friendship with her. He wasn’t the best counselor he knew it, she knew it, but if she just wanted an ear he would lend it. 

A look of relief spread across her features, his heart ached that she thought he would have rejected her request. Estinien longed for the time when she could trust him without thought, and if it was in his power, one day she would again. 

“Follow me, I have some quarters here, I haven’t used them in ages but they should serve.” She led him to a small room, with a bed, desk, and chair. She sunk into the bed, as he swung the chair around to sit in. 

She flopped back on the bed and brought her hands to her face, now that she had asked to talk to him, she was having trouble saying what she needed too. “I’m going to sound like a horrible person.” she sighed. 

Estinien let out a half-laugh. “I doubt, of all the people I know, that you could end up sounding like a horrible person.” 

The Warrior of Light peaked out from behind her hands to look at him and for a moment he was transported back to the cold nights they spent traveling Corthaes together talking late into the night as Yasle and Alphinaud had already gone to bed. “It really is pretty bad now that I’m trying to actually put it into words.” 

“I promise not to tell Alphinaud” he teased lightly, as he found a pillow flying at his head. Followed by a laugh. “Oh lord.” she giggled. “I…” she had tears come to her eyes. “In Eulmore..” she breathed. “We had to shower in these delousing chambers, and they were...not private.” she giggled “Alphinaud wouldn’t get in them, and I threatened to tell you about it if he didn’t.” the laughter continued. “I guess I told you anyway. Sorry Alphinaud” she said looking towards the sky. 

Estinien couldn’t help but crack a smile, even if he had no idea  _ what or where _ Eulmore was. “I can see him now pacing outside the shower,” he said with a shake of his head. “But I doubt Alphinaud’s hygiene is what you wished to speak about.” 

“No” she deflated a bit and Estinien wished he could bring the smile back, but finally she spoke once more. “It's about Emet-Selch better known to Eorzea as Solus Zos Galvus “ 

“I was informed that he was an Ascian, and that you fought him on the First, but that is the extent of my knowledge unfortunately.” Estinien offered. 

She looked down. “The truth, as you know, is often more complicated. It's true he caused many of the challenges I faced, he’s done unspeakable things, and had a hand in every single calamity that's scarred this world, and destroyed just as many others.” the warrior of light held a long pause before continuing. 

  
  


“But he was my friend.” she finally admitted. “I know it's insane.” she stopped Estinien before he could speak, the look on his face told her everything she needed to know about how he felt on the subject. “In the end he was a hurt, lonely soul fighting for his home, his friends, his family, and everything he loved. In another life I would have happily aided him. 

Estinien frowned as he looked at her, not sure what to say, so he just let her continue. “I know. I know, I know all. But I would be hard-pressed to say I would have done anything different than he. When we arrived on the first he reached out, offering comparison, we were leery at first, but he told us his story. He told us about Amaurot.” she closed her eyes. “He shared with us his pain. The story of how his world ended, why they created Zodiark, what it cost them, and what they went through to get back what they had lost. Hydaelyn wasn’t created as the other half of Zodiark, she was created to destroy him, and she did shattering him, and the world.” 

“Hydaelyn’s goal was to protect the new life that was created to be an exchange for what they had already lost, her followers feeling that they had sacrificed enough as it was. But don’t tell me if someone told you, you could get back everyone you’d ever lost you wouldn’t at least want to *try*.” The Warrior of Light was shaking and barely noticed when Estinien came to sit down and hold her. Still she continued. “The only ones that survived were him, Lahabrea and Elidbus. The other Ascians are pieces they managed to elevate, but for ten thousand years it's only been them and I killed him!” she cried out burying her head in Estinien’s chest. 

“I know it had to be done, and the other Scions… I can’t blame them for being glad, not when he caused so much suffering but at the end….I knew back then, back when the world was whole he had been one of my dearest friends. I had felt something as such before but only in his last moments, when he looked at me and saw  _ her _ did I know for sure. And all he did was plead that I remember him and his people. There was no malice, no hate, just the look of someone who had lived far too long and was far too lonely. ” 

Estinien didn’t know what to do besides holding the sobbing mess of a Warrior of Light in his arms. His life had left him completely unskilled for this task, and he felt once more like he was failing her, he searched for something, anything to say, but all he could give her was blunt honesty, hopefully, it would be enough. “We’re all not much different I suppose.” he began as she took a moment to look at him. “You, myself, Nidhogg, and your friend.” he swallowed. “Pain has a way of twisting a person. You do anything you can to lash out, to get back what you lost. It's only far too late when you realize that what you’ve done has caused pain to others, and the cycle continues. Then you’re in a whole so far down you can’t find a way out. “ 

Estinien looked down at her brushing a tear away. “I know the desire of just wanting it to end, for the suffering, the pain, the misery. I pleaded with you to end my life, and you saw fit to give me a second chance. For that I am grateful. But for Emet-Selch who had lived with that pain and torment for neigh on millenia…. I think you did the best you could as a friend and let him rest. His world is gone, shattered as you said. A second chance for him would not have broken the cycle but started it anew. The same as it would have if Nidhogg had been blessed with one. And it's ok to grieve for someone you care about….even if they did horrible things.” the memory of Yasle flashed through his mind before he shook it away. 

The Warrior of Light managed to compose herself, but finding she didn’t wish to pull away from Estinien’s arms, and he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get away either. “Thank you.” she finally voiced and he seemed relieved to have said the right thing. 

He reached down and tilted her head up and offered her a true smile. “I can see why you wouldn’t want to share that with your friends, I feel honored you felt you could share it with me after everything.” 

“I thought you would understand, I’m glad I was right.” she returned his smile feeling more at peace than she had for some time. 

Later, Estinien could tell you what caused him to move, maybe the knowledge of the note he had found 2 years too late, or the feel of her against him, or the way the light reflected off her eyes in the moment, but before he knew it he found himself kissing her, his mind not keeping up with his body, wrapping his arms around her. It took but a moment for her to respond. Circling her own arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. 

It seemed he had in fact….not ruined everything. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think. I'm plotting continuations for some of my other fics, hooray for getting bit by the bug again. I'll get more into the meat of the story next time, but this chapter had to be addressed first.


End file.
